the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第42节
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
if he died in the electric chair？ And if I fall； the law may still take its
course。〃
Loge had listened to this speech attentively。 He lifted his head and
glanced about the deck； filling his lungs with a deep draft of air。
Something like a gleam of hope was visible in his features。
〃It is irregular；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； frowning； and not half
convinced。 〃And； in the name of Heaven； why imperil your life
needlessly？ Why expose yourself again to the power of this monstrous
criminal？〃
〃The fellow has challenged me； and I have granted him a meeting；〃
said Cleggett。 〃I hope there is such a thing as honor！〃
〃Clement！〃 It was Lady Agatha who spoke。 As she did so she laid
her hand on Cleggett's arm。 She had hearkened in silence to the colloquy
between him and Barnstable； as had the others。 She drew him out of
sight and hearing behind the cabin。〃
〃Clement；〃 she said with agitation； 〃do not fight this man！〃
〃I must；〃 he said simply。 It cut him to the heart to refuse the first
request that she had asked of him since his avowal of his love for her and
her tacit acceptance。 But； to a man of Cleggett's ideas； there was no
choice。
〃Clement；〃 she said in a low tone； 〃you have told me that you love
me。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he murmured brokenly。
〃And you know〃 she paused； as if she could not continue； but her
eyes and manner spoke the rest。 In a moment her lips spoke it too； she
was not the sort of woman who is afraid to avow the promptings of her
heart。 〃You know；〃 she said； 〃that I love you。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he cried again。 He could say no more。
〃Oh； Clement；〃 she said； 〃if you were killedkilled uselessly！now
that I have found you； I could not bear it。 Dear； I could not bear it！〃
Cleggett was profoundly moved。 He yearned to take her in his arms
to comfort her； and to promise anything she wished。 And the thought
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
came to him too that； if he should perish； the one kiss； given and received
in the darkness and danger of fight and storm； would be all the brave
sweetness of her that he would know this side of the grave； the thought
came to him bitterly。 For an instant he wavered。
〃Agatha！〃 he said with dry lips。 〃I have already accepted the fellow's
challenge。〃
〃And what of that？〃 she cried。 〃Would you cling to a barren point of
honor in despite of love？〃
〃Even so；〃 he said； and sighed。
〃Oh； Clement；〃 she said； 〃I cannot bear it！ I cannot bear to lose you！
I always knew you were in the world somewhereand now that I have
found you it is only to give you up！ It is too much！〃
Cleggett was silent for a moment。 When he spoke it was slowly and
gently； but earnestly。
〃No point of honor is a barren one； dear；〃 he said。 〃What the man
lying there may be matters nothing。 It is not to him that I have given my
word； but to myself。 In our hurried modern life we are not punctilious
enough about these things。 Perhaps； in the old days； the men and women
were worse than we in many ways。 But they held to a few traditions； or
the best of them did； that make the loose and tawdry manners of this age
seem cheap indeed。 All my life I have known that there was something
shining and simple and precious concealed from the common herd of men
in this common age； which the brighter spirits of the old days lived by and
served and worshiped。 I have always seen it plainly； and always tried to
live by it； too。 Perhaps it was never； in any period； more than a dream；
but I have dreamed that dream。 And anyone who dreams that dream will
have a reverence for his spoken word no matter to whom it is passed。 I
may be a fool to fight this man； well then； that is the kind of fool I am！
Indeed； I know I am a fool by the judgments of this age。 But I have
never truly lived in this age。 I have lived in the past； I have held to the
dream； I have believed in the bright adventure； I have walked with the
generous； chivalric spirits of the great ages； they have come to me out of
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
my books and dwelt with me and been my companions； and the realities of
time and place have been unreal in their presence。 I see myself so walking
always。 It may be that I am a vain ass； but I cannot help it。 It may be
that I am a little mad； but I would rather be mad with a Don Quixote than
sane with an Andrew Carnegie and pile up platitudes and dollars。
〃And all this foolishness of mine is somehow bound up with the
thought that I have engaged to fight that evil fellow； and must do it； all the
bright； sane madness in me cries out that he is to die by this hand of mine。
〃I have opened my heart to you； as I have never done to anyone before。
And now I put myself into your hands。 But； oh； take carefor it is
something in me better than myself that I give you to deal with！ And you
can cripple it forever； because I love you and I shall listen to you。 Shall I
fight him？〃
She had listened； mute and immobile； and as he spoke the red sun
made a sudden glory of her hair。 She leaned towards him； and it was as if
the spirit of all the man's lifelong； foolish； romantic musings were in her
eyes and on her face。
〃Fight him！〃 she said。 〃And kill him！〃
And then her head was on his shoulder； and his arms were about her。
〃Don't die！〃 she sobbed。 〃Don't die！〃
〃Don't fear；〃 he said； 〃I feel that I'll make short work of him。〃
She smiled courageously back at him； with her hands upon his
shoulders she held him back and looked at him with tilted head。
〃If you are killed；〃 she said； 〃it will have been more than most women
ever get； to have known and loved you for two days。〃
〃Two days？〃 he said。 〃Forever！〃
〃Forever！〃 she said。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XXIV
THE DUEL
Cleggett took Wilton Barnstable by the sleeve and drew him towards
Loge； who； still seated on the deck with his long legs stretched out in front
of him； was now yawning with a cynical affectation of boredom。
〃I wish you to act as my second in this affair；〃 said Cleggett to the
detective； 〃and I suggest that either Mr。 Ward or Mr。 Bard perform a like
office for Mr。 Black。〃
Loge shrugged his shoulders； and said with a sneer：
〃A second； eh？ We seem to be doing a great deal of arranging for a
very small amount of fighting。〃
〃I suggest；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃that a night's rest would be quite
in order for both principals。〃
Loge broke in quickly； with studied insolence： 〃I object to the delay。
Mr。 Cleggett might find some excuse for changing his mind overnight。
Let us； if you please； begin at once。〃
〃It was not I who suggested the delay；〃 said Cleggett； haughtily。
〃Then give us the pistols；〃 cried Loge； with a sudden； grim ferocity in
his voice； 〃and let's make an end of it！〃
〃We fight with swords；〃 said Cleggett。 〃I am the challenged party。〃
〃Ho！ Swords！〃 cried Loge； with a harsh； jarring laugh。 〃A bout
with the rapiers； man to man； eh？ Come； this is better and better！ I may
go to the chair； but first I will spit you like a squab on a skewer； my little
nut！〃 And then he said again； with a shout of gusty mirth； and a clanking
of his manacles： 〃Swords； eh？ By God！ The little man says
SWORDS！〃
Wilton Barnstable drew Cleggett to one side。
〃Name pistols；〃 he said。 〃For God's sake； Cleggett； name pistols！ If
I had had any idea that you were going to demand rapiers I should have
